An instrument that thinks
by Rossriders
Summary: A brief crossover involving Splinter cell, Metal Gear and Syphon filter. Fisher's thoughts during a mission to Tokyo in 2007 Chaos theory , with small tie-ins from Syphon Filter and Metal Gear. T For language.
1. Chapter 1

An instrument that thinks...

A Splinter cell/Metal gear/Syphon Filter, crossover short (3 chapters)… a what if reflection on not only Fisher's thoughts as things come to an end during Chaos theory, but also his thoughts on previous encounters, with the other two stealth kings (IMHO), Gabriel Logan and Solid Snake (as well as Big Boss...), and others.

A very small part to a much bigger, more ambitious crossover fan-fiction project, having over not just Splinter cell, Metal gear, and Syphon Filter, but Ghost Recon, potentially Rainbow 6 and who knows what else.

The only warning I give is that unless you've played SC3 Chaos theory, and at least MGS 1, you probably are going to be spoiled on some things (then again given this is a metal gear site, I'd figure most reading this have already played MGS1, 2 and 3 to say the least). If you have played said games, then read on.

Disclaimer - You know I don't own Metal Gear, Splinter cell, Syphon Filter, Ghost Recon, Rainbow 6 etc.

This story covers events before, during, and after the Bathhouse mission, as well as events just before Kokubo Sosho, from Fisher's perspective, with his thoughts on the mission, and events involving not just himself but other operatives as well

-----------------

Part A: Mexican Standoff

The dead of night, the moonlight being the only illumination, that and a helicopter searchlight as I stood firm on the stone floor, the air ice cold. Behind me, the door that had lead me to this very place, and in front of me, an old friend, who now held a IMI Desert Eagle to my face, as I held in turn a FN Five SeveN Pistol (code named the SC Pistol) to his. That old friend being Douglas Shetland, and I... Samuel Leo Fisher.

Less than maybe 2 minutes earlier, we had just drawn our guns after we each knocked our primary weapons out of our hands, first I had knocked out his HK MP7 machine pistol, and as I tried to draw my SC20K rifle, he knocked that out of my hands as I delivered a knee to his gut, forcing him back and just giving me enough time to draw my gun as he did his. We talked on what was going on... leading to where we were as of now.

"...you know these things...you believe them more than any _government_...and because of this, I know you won't shoot an old friend."

He lowers his gun, I think to myself _"Is he really surrendering? Could I bring him in alive?"_

No, wait...a false start. Lets go back even further, to when I found out the truth between him, and the ISDF.

The mission location was a Bathhouse in Tokyo, 3rd Echelon tracked Shetland down to this very place, and I was to find out who his Japanese contacts were, and take them down before they left with any IW algorithms that were taken from Zerkenzi and Morgenholt. As for why I was even in Japan, I'll explain for those who aren't familiar.

Earlier, the IW attack that crippled the USS Clarence E Walsh and sent the Missile from the North Korean Battery (that in turn sank the ship) on the Fourth of July (of all days) had been tracked down to South Korea, Seoul. The possibility of people within South Korea, be the military, government...anyone, forcing the North to Attack the US, forcing a war between the North and South, with China and the US in tow for support, was an insane, yet logical possibility. Beyond that would be left to other people.

Getting the information that could have traced the attack further than Seoul was not without difficulty however, but nothing I didn't face before. I was to go to the safehouse in the city, then to a switching station that had the data, and transfer it with a point-to-point Laser rig to an EA-6B.  
Staying one step ahead of my foes as I've often done, no one needlessly died from the safehouse to the Switching station. The fact I had a small gap between the two main forces, the NKA, as well as the South Korean and US forces was a blessing as if I were to encounter either, it would only result would be a quick death in a hailstorm of gunfire.

When I did reach the station first, then the National Data Trunk, got the drives and transmitted the data to the EA-6b, that should have been the end. Instead, it was shot down, and I had to go from rooftops to streets, and thru battle groups to get to the plane before the NKA could get the data.

When it was found to be too damaged to be taken from the spot, and an NKA recover team en-route, Lambert told me to designate a demolition. But because the pilots were still alive, and right in harms way, I didn't want to kill them, so I put myself in more danger to get them to safety.

The memory of him reminding me I don't even exist was fresh as day, but only so because between Active Armor and NKA spec ops, and keeping my cool, was I only able to get the pilots out of the way of the blast, and designate the demolition, any mistake, missing a shot, not moving in the right shadows, not reading enemy patterns, death could have arrived at any time.

Then came the big news hours later, that the attack came from Japan, but potentially from Displace, namely Shetland, and his then unknown Japanese contacts. Further tracking leads us to the Bathhouse, where I managed to sneak and knock out my way into the private bathhouse room where Shetland was to meet with his Japanese contacts. What I would see would change things... again.

I saw the signs; ISDF assault troops were barricaded in a room, taking orders from Kaneda. At that point me and Lambert assumed the Red Nishn sold out Shetland to the ISDF, or at least Lambert assumed that. Things got uglier when I spotted the other ISDF assault troop, minding his business past the 2nd reception desk. He was left knocked out as well. The fact he didn't appear to be on alert for displace men, and the fact I spotted another ISDF troop working with another displace man, it should have been obvious, but things needed to be started proper, and I got that when I finally entered the vent overlooking the bathhouse where the meeting was to take place. I see the bath, along with a few desks, on one of them was a laptop computer, I use my EEV to scan and then hack the data as I see an ISDF troop walk in.

"Lambert, **ISDF** is in the building. Are they making their **move**?"

The ISDF man turns around to a then unseen man.

"It's all clear."

Lambert then gets on the horn.

"I haven't been able to contact Otomo. I don't know what's going on."

It then clicks...

"Wait a **minute**..." I reply as I see who I would know as Kaneda sit down, in a black business suit.

"Yes...this will do just fine."

Followed by one of Shetland's personal guards and then Shetland himself in his combat gear, the fact they where there in the way they were confirmed what I had been beginning to suspect as they both talked, and Shetland sat down.

"...I've told you' I've taken care of everything. Where secure."

"Jesus Lambert. ISDF isn't here to take Shetland down, there **meeting** with him. There his **partners**."

"My God... **Stay** there! We need to hear the details before we go to the joint chiefs with this."

And that I did...

"...What?? you did not bring them??? Where not going to **follow** you across Tokyo!"

Kanade was not happy, Shetland didn't have the IW algorithms on him, which was a smart move, but apparently a bad one in the view of this ISDF man, Shetland tries to reassure him that everything is fine.

"Relax kanade. I'll just **download** them and burn you a disk."

Kaneda gets up, unimpressed and obvious cautious; certain it's a trap. At this level, it wasn't different from a mob meeting, in fact up to that point, it was assumed Shetland was to meet with Red Nishn, but they were nowhere in sight.

"Hah! You take me for a **fool**! You are not **stupid** enough to download them over a **public network**! What are you up to!?"

Shetland just sat there as he continued on, trying to keep guns from going off.

"I said **RELAX**.

... You're right. I'm not that **stupid**. My men just finished setting up a **shadownet**. Completely secure wireless, discreet from the web. Now **SIT**. You'll have your algorithms in about 4 minutes."

Shetland was about to proceed to do just that, or so I figured until Kaneda then signaled to the ISDF man who in turn aimed at Shetland's man, who only did the natural thing and aimed back. Shetland stands up in response to all of this.

"Cool it!!"

And I know just what is going to happen right then and there...

"Lambert..."

"...you are **cheating** us!..."

"Let it go Fisher... we know the _truth_. We'll pick up the _pieces_ after the _dust_ settles."

"... Americans!"

Kaneda was rambling something about how he could not trust us American's anymore, but Shetland obviously felt justified in his actions, he didn't want to get screwed over, he'd know epically since he screwed over others in his deals.

"**Save it** Kanade, I've seen it before. You're defending your **honor** to cover up your **lies**. Should I check the account? Or should we start **shooting **and see who walks out of here!!?"

"**KANEDA**!!"

"**T-TESUTO**!"

BANG!

BANG!

THUD

The Displace man drops from two shots from the ISDF grunt's rifle as Shetland already had his MP7 drawn, aimed for the man's head, he didn't stand a ghost of a chance.

BANG!!

THUD

The guy falls over in the water as then the machine pistol was aimed at Kaneda, Shetland wasn't even looking at the man, as he (Kaneda) looked surprised at the dead bodies, and then at the pistol, he throws his hands up, begging for mercy.

"… ...gasp...No!...no no!... _please_! We can work this out!"

BANG!  
Thud!

Kaneda drops, his last breaths forces out of his body as Shetland runs off like Speedy Gonazles in a Looney toon's reel. By this time I start to craw back out the other side, I could still hear him as if I was right there with him, orders were being barked, cryptic yet clear.

"We're switching to fallback!"

"Choppers on its way."

"_Good._ Secure this area! **NO** one comes thru!"

"Yes sir!"

Then hell really broke loose between ISDF and Displace men as they yelled out their taunts and threats, and exchanged gunfire and grenades.

"BURN IN HELLLLLLL!!"

RATATATATATATATATATATATATAT!!!  
"YOU'RE A DEAD MAN!"  
BAP!  
BANG!  
"TAKE HIM DOWN! ANYWAY YOU CAN!!"  
BOOM!!!  
"SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!!!"  
RATATATA!!  
BAM!!

"Fisher..." Lambert started, as I already knew what he was going to say.

"Kill Shetland..._I know_."

End of part A


	2. Showdown A

This version is if I continued the final part of the bathhouse mission with the stealth kit, figured I'd write out both with assault and Stealth, so there, incase anyone takes this or the next chapter as a repost.

Part B - Showdown - 'stealth' version

As I crawled out, Grimsdotter cut in, apparently finished going over whatever I had got off the laptop that Shetland was using.

"Good thinking fisher. Looks like Shetland is using Zerkeizei's infinite recursion code to run genetic algorithms that allow him to remotely organize his men."

"Why?"

"Wow... DOD is gonna love this. Looks like Shetland can establish his objectives and the software will break it down to individual tasks and mails them out to his men."

"So his people all swarm a target location independently, and complete their sub objectives without ever knowing just what the plan is?"

"Exactly, kind of a bizarre Inverse of nikoladze's 'glass dagger'. In fact, it's noted in here that this was especially pushed for in the aftermath of _Shadow moses_."

"...What?"

Another important question was, what about _Shadow Moses_. Not many knew the truth behind Shadow moses, aside from me, David...Logan...but before I could even start to try and think this over, Lambert cut in.

"This is all interesting, but Fisher..."

I knew what he was going to say, and he was right.

"I know, don't let Shetland escape."

"If he gets away, we may not get another chance, and God knows what he'll be able to unleash, and just your luck, another asset is on location, and is making his way thru ISDF and Displace guards to your location."

"Who?"

"Gabriel Logan?"

I had not seen Logan in a while, he's been busy trying to save the world from a number of other horrors, and the last time I heard, David had been trying to rid the world of the Metal gears in it, I had not seen him since Shadow Moses.

"Gabe? What's he doing in Japan?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, I'm looking into it right now."

"Alright."

"But even with another man in the area, you can't allow Shetland to escape."

"I know..."

As I made my way back into the private room, I could hear the gunshots just ahead, a grenade goes off and smoke pours thru into the vent I had snuck in minutes before, as the gunfire continued on, into one of the rooms, I waddled thru the water and entered the vent and crawled thru, no sooner that I got out, a displace grunt had his gun at me, I simply ran as the bullets whizzed by, a few grazing my back, I yell out in pain by reflex as I ran.

I make my way thru the bathroom and hallways, and I find the myself just around the corner from the ISDF side of the firefight. I sneak across the hallway to the room where the meeting had taken place, I stop to hear the familiar whirling of a security camera, as I use the OCP and disable it, and then pick up a frag, flashbang, and a box of 5.56mm ammo, before slowly approaching the hallway.

I take out the SC20K and load in the gas grenades. I switch hands and peak around the corner, switch to thermal, aim and fired a single round. The gas takes effect as the two ISDF men as they fall unconscious, I switch thermal off and leave the Displace grunts they were fighting try to figure what went wrong as I moved on to the next room.

I hear some timed beeps, and instantly know it's a mine, it was head level on a wall, just next to the pathway leading into the other room, a public sauna, I wait for the light to switch green before I diffuse it, then I take out the SC20K, I switch to thermal and find 3 more displace men, one hiding on the far right behind a wall meant to be a barrier between shower stalls to the far left, another behind a short wall a little to the right ahead of me, the last behind a support beam to the far right, they were waiting for me, but they weren't ready for me.

But I had no intention of fighting them, even if it drew a higher risk of me getting killed. I hostler the rifle, and take out my smoke grenades. I throw one to the one farthest to the right, as I threw it, I drew my pistol and used the OCP to jam the lights on the left first...the moved into the room, hiding behind a short wall, and disabling the light on the right, sneaking just barely past them... I was close enough to see they were all armed with HK G36's, and at this range, would have torn me apart. I closed the door behind me and continued my way on, a quick left, and not to my surprise is another mine, I approach it slowly, and diffuse it, taking it with me as I kept going.

I enter the furnace room, I hear a set of beeps as I then hear the sound of metal being stomped on, above me...it sounded 'hollow' for a lack of a better description and most likely elevated.

"_Metal Floor!"_

I look up past a fence to seen an elevated steel walkway as Shetland runs past, nothing in my arsenal would have been able to punch thru.

"This is **pointless** Sam! You won't know what to do if you catch me, why bother chasing?"

Lambert gets on the horn, as I then find out what that beeping sound is.

"My God Fisher! Shetland has rigged the place to **blow**! There are **bombs** hidden throughout the furnace room, You have to find them all and **fast**!

I timer then appears on my opsat.

_"1 minute and a half to find the bombs... great."_

I think, half of my brain goes into panic mode, wanting to frantically find the bombs, my logical half tries to quell the panicking end, and I know going into a panic won't help me find them. I needed to stay calm and search the area. I switch first to night vision, and find my view of course obscured by the steam, so I switch to infrared, and most of the objects' heat signatures are well visible, and I'm hopelessly obscured, so I switch to EMF, which barely fairs better, I sigh as I look at the watch.

_"I minute... ten seconds...shit..."_

I decide to use my own eyes, I search the bottom level of the furnace room, and find a blinking red light, I squeeze thru a gap between two machines and find the first bomb, with forty-five seconds to spare as I take out my knife to diffuse it. No sooner than I start, I hear to my right past the machine another one of Shetlands grunts...possibly the one I left alive after gassing the ISDF troops.

"Where is he?!"

_"Another grunt...I have to take him down hard, soon as this bomb is diffused."_

I continued to work to diffuse the bomb, Shetland apparently arrogant enough to talk to me while I worked on a bomb that could kill him as well as I."

"**Mason** and **Lambert** have you wrapped around _**their **_**fingers** Sam! You're no more to them than any other _**weapon!**_"

The words stung, but I had no time to think them over as I put the knife away, and sneaked back down, I whistle, as the grunt turns my way to fire, but I already had my sight over his head.

FOOM!

The shocker connects with his head, he shakes violently, screaming as he falls over, in that time I put my gun away, making it up the stairs, walking away and searching for the next bomb. It wasn't far off from the last one. I see a flashing red light as before down below, I jump over a ledge, again down to the bottom, another bomb as I work on that, it started to cross my mind Shetland knew I would try to diffuse these bombs, if I didn't, they would kill all of us, including him, and apparently had a lot to say, and among the chaos, I hear the displace men comment on my handiwork.

"This things a mess!"

"Look at _**YOU**_! You've made yourself the **instrument **of a policy you don't _**believe **_in Sam! Walk away!"

"There he is!"

I put it away, I climb back up, and keep close to the machine on my left, and peak around the corner, past the gap to the floor level where I entered the furnace room, were the two displace grunts, I fire another sticky shocker, taking one guy out, the other runs, I try to take a shot but don't... as he was running to where I was.

"Take him down! Anyway you can!"

He runs but right into my line of sight as I fired another shocker, he shakes and drops to the floor. I search for the last bomb, in clear view near the end of the furnace room, as I go to diffuse that. Shetland could be heard to my far left, probably at the door leading out.

"**Blood **is **thicker** than **water** and you and I have **bleed** a lot together. You're trading your **honor** for their **agenda**!! **THEIR** agenda, not ours Sam!"

By the time I diffuse it, he just leaves as I jump back to the elevated walkway, and head for the door, I switch to infrared and see a displace grunt approaching the door, I put away my gun and wait... I slam the door open and knock him to the floor, I run past his unconscious body... and well you already know where that lead too...

We knock each other's primary guns and go for our side arms, as we were now at a Mexican standoff.

"It doesn't have to **end** like this **Sam**."

"No, but it does have to _end_."

"On that I **agree** ... _**We've**_ been fighting their **dirty little wars** all entire lives and where do we end up?... staring at each other down the **barrels** of our **guns**. **Nothing** changed fisher... it didn't change with **Jack**, It didn't bend with **Logan**, and the same for **David**...Jesus Sam, he was **Big Boss**' son, you knew they would use him like they did the Boss...like they did Adam...and even the Cobras..."

_"...the Cobras...what is he talking about?"_

"...it won't change fisher... it won't change by degrees, even if others try,_They_ will get in the way... **THEY **ALWAYS DO!...One way or another, it's their **fault** Sam! …We have to tear it down and start over... ALL of it! It's the **ONLY** way!"

"Your own little '_chaos theory_'? Throw the world into **war** and hope that what comes out the other side is **better**? What makes you any different from **Big Boss**, Doug?"

"...and likewise... are you any different from David? or the rest of them?...It **will** be better, because this war will **change** things Sam. Every other war has been about keeping things the same, keeping an ongoing cycle of war, peace, and revolution, and endless waltz as an attempt to keep people in check, thru constant hatred and ignorance, but the **status quo** doesn't work anymore. America's _**sick**_ Sam... she's **dying**... the **politicians**, the **bureaucrats**, the whispered back room deals. It's all life-support for a sick old lady who was **dead** a long time ago. Dead as long as _**them**_!"

"The only back room deals I've seen lately were _made __**by **__**you.**_ You are **no** different than Jack; you're no different from those you're trying to take out. You're a **murderer**, and a **war** **criminal.**"

"The very same can be said about you, you're more of a tool than even [b**Gabe**[/b. But those are the only names the **state** has for the **revolutionaries** Sam. You become a **hero**, after the **war** is over. Washington would've agreed. You know the truth. The _world_ is built from the_ bottom_ up, not the other way **around**. Honor, courage, fidelity, we don't inherit these things from the world Sam; we build the world from them. I know you, you believe in these things more than any **government**. And I know because of it you wouldn't shoot an old friend."

He lowers the gun... as I did my own, putting it away... wondering if there was another option other than to kill him.

I had no time to wonder as the second I hostler my gun, he aimed once more and fired...

To bad he missed... by the time he aimed, by that time, I already was in a crouching position... my right hand was already reaching for the knife...it happened so fast...the response was automatic, like a scene acted out to death.

Even I didn't realize it until I stabbed him in the gut, but it was far too late, I was already committed, no turning back. I shoved him thru back into the bathhouse, he hits a wooden support beam, and fell into the hot-bath below...floating back up, face down...and for certain...dead.

"You're right Doug...I wouldn't _shoot_ an _old friend_."

_"...Because you're no longer my old friend."_... I finished in thought as I turned around and walked off... but his words I could not shake off... for a lot of them rang true..

It wasn't the first time, yet I could see truth for myself in them, at the same time, it was true for himself, as well as the people he used.

But before I could reflect more, the door behind me was forced open, I turn around to find one final displace grunt, but I had no time to prepare, the UMP 45 was already aimed at my head.

"Say Goodbye Bitch!"

But before he could pull the trigger, he suddenly shook violently as I heard a familiar electrical shock as he kept shaking, screaming before he then caught on fire, and finally fell over, the flames going out, as all that was left was a burnt corpse. The one that apparently tazered the man to death steeped over the body and he walked into view, I knew from Lambert who he was, but I was none the less surprised to see him for myself.

"It's been some time Fisher." Gabriel Logan started, as he waked into view.

"Some time indeed."

End of part 2, part 3 on its way.


	3. Showdown B

This version of chapter to is if I had continued the final part of the bathhouse mission with the assault kit. I wrote down both the 'stealth' and 'assault' versions since... well I'd figure it would be interesting to go either way, if Fisher decided to kill anyone he encountered, or let them live, the assault although ironically was written and drafted first, took longer than the stealth version to finish due to the changes I made for a lot of text in the stealth version, that I decided to carry on back to the assault version.

Not to mention the many different ways you can kill everyone you encounter in the bathhouse with what you have. I decided to go with what I did that lead to the least amount of drama… kind of anti climatic in a sense but then again, Fisher's supposed to be when necessary an efficient killer, (not unlike Solid Snake and Logan), Enough of me rambling, on with it.

Part B - Showdown - 'Assault' version

As I crawled out, Grimsdotter cut in, apparently finished going over whatever I had got off the laptop that Shetland was using.

"Good thinking fisher. Looks like Shetland is using Zerkeizei's infinite recursion code to run genetic algorithms that allow him to remotely organize his men."

"Why?"

"Wow... DOD is gonna love this. Looks like Shetland can establish his objectives and the software will break it down to individual tasks and mails them out to his men."

"So his people all swarm a target location independently, and complete their sub objectives without ever knowing just what the plan is?"

"Exactly, kind of a bizarre Inverse of nikoladze's 'glass dagger'. Infact, it's noted in here that this was especially pushed for in the aftermath of _Shadow moses_."

"...What? In the aftermath?"

Another important question was, what about _Shadow Moses_. Not many knew the truth behind Shadow moses, aside from me, David...Logan...but before I could even start to try and think this over, Lambert cut in.

"This is all interesting, but Fisher..."

I knew what he was going to say, and he was right.

"I know, don't let Shetland escape."

"If he gets away, we may not get another chance, and God knows what he'll be able to unleash, and just your luck, another asset is on location, and is making his way thru ISDF and Displace guards to your location."

"Who?"

"Gabriel Logan?"

I had not seen Logan in a while, he's been busy trying to save the world from a number of other horrors, and the last time I heard, David had been trying to rid the world of the Metal gears in it, I had not seen him since Shadow Moses.

"Gabe? What's he doing in Japan?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, I'm looking into it right now."

"Alright."

"But even with another man in the area, you can't allow Shetland to escape."

"I know..."

As I made my way back into the private room, I could hear the gunshots just ahead, a grenade goes off and smoke pours thru into the vent I had crawled in minutes before, as the gunfire continued on, into one of the rooms, I waddled thru the water and entered the vent and crawled thru, no sooner that I got out, a displace grunt had his gun at me, I simply ran as the bullets whizzed by, a few grazing my back, I yell out in pain by reflex as I ran.

I make my way thru the bathroom and hallways, and I find the myself just around the corner from the ISDF side of the firefight. I sneak across the hallway to the room where the meeting had taken place, I stop to hear the familiar whirling of a security camera, as I use the OCP and disable it, and then pick up a frag, flash bang, and a box of 5.56mm ammo, before slowly approaching the hallway.

I take out the SC20K and switch attachments. I take off the 1.5 X sight and replace it with the 4x telescope sight, and removing the shotgun attachment, and in it's place, a barrel, able to fire the 20mm APDS rounds.

I switch hands, with my left on the trigger as I peak, switching to IR, as I searched for the first two men, the IDSF troops. One hid behind an overturned box, his body heat more than visible behind it. I line up the sights with his head and pull the trigger.

A loud bang, was accompanied with the rifle jerking back from the recoil, as the man fell over dead, the other grunt tried to turn and face me, but I had already recovered, the sights aimed at his head the second he left cover.

Another bang, he falls over, now I had the 2 displace men to take care of. I aim for the far one to the right, hiding behind a wooden wall, I pull the trigger, the bullet punches thru the short wall, and thru him as he falls over. The last runs from cover to the overturned vending machine, but he fell as I pulled the trigger one last time. Although I was certain everyone here was dead except me, I looked around for a few more seconds, before loading four new rounds into the rifle, before putting the gun away, and I moved on to the next room.

I hear some timed beeps, and instantly know it's a mine, it was head level on a wall, just next to the pathway leading into the other room, a public sauna, I wait for the light to switch green before I diffuse it, then I take out the SC20K, I switch to thermal and find 3 more displace men, one hiding on the far right behind a wall meant to be a barrier between shower stalls to the far left, another behind a short wall a little to the right ahead of me, the last behind a support beam to the far right, they were waiting for me, but they weren't ready for me.

It was either them or me. It was too risky to not kill them, I didn't like doing it, but I don't feel like dying either. I take out my SC20 K again and replace the attachments, sliding the shotgun back into place as I put it away, I take out the SC pistol, and use the OCP to jam the light to the far right, I take out the grenades, and throw them one by one, from the far right to the far left.

"GET DOWN!"

Shouted one as they each exploded, I take out the SC20K, trigger on the shotgun, but to my surprise as the smoke settled, all 3 were dead. I check their bodies, and aside from being blown up, they all had HK G36's, which would have torn me apart. But I find instead 3 burnt corpses.

I leave the grim scene, not bothering to close the door behind me and continued my way on, a quick left, and not to my surprise is another mine, I approach it slowly, and diffuse it, taking it with me as I kept going.

I enter the furnace room, I hear a set of beeps as I then hear the sound of metal being stomped on, above me...it sounded 'hollow' for a lack of a better description and most likely elevated.

_"Metal Floor!"_

I look up past a fence to seen an elevated steel walkway as Shetland runs past, nothing in my arsenal would have been able to punch thru it, not even the APDS rounds.

"This is **pointless** Sam! You won't know what to do if you catch me, why bother chasing?"

Lambert gets on the horn, as I then find out what that beeping sound is.

"My God Fisher! Shetland has rigged the place to **blow**! There are **bombs** hidden throughout the furnace room, you have to find them all and **fast**!

I timer then appears on my opsat.

_"1 minute and a half to find the bombs... great."_

I think, half of my brain goes into panic mode, wanting to frantically find the bombs, my logical half tries to quell the panicking end, and I know going into a panic won't help me find them. I needed to stay calm and search the area. I switch first to night vision, and find my view of course obscured by the steam, so I switch to infrared, and most of the objects' heat signatures are well visible, and I'm hopelessly obscured, so I switch to EMF, which barely fairs better, I sigh as I look at the watch.

_"I minute... ten seconds...shit..."_

I decide to use my own eyes, I search the bottom level of the furnace room, and find a blinking red light, I squeeze thru a gap between two machines and find the first bomb, with forty-five seconds to spare as I take out my knife to diffuse it. No sooner than I start, I hear to my right past the machine another one of Shetlands grunts...possibly the one I left alive after gassing the ISDF troops earlier, much earlier. .

"Where is he?!"

_"Another grunt...I have to take him down hard, soon as this bomb is diffused."_

I continued to work to diffuse the bomb, Shetland apparently arrogant enough to talk to me while I worked on a bomb that could kill him as well as I."

"**Mason** and **Lambert** have you wrapped around _**their **_**fingers** Sam! You're no more to them than any other _**weapon!**_"

The words stung, but I had no time to think them over as I put the knife away, and sneaked back down, I whistle, as the grunt turns my way to fire, but I already had my sight over his head.

BOOM!

The 12 gauge round sprays over his head, he falls over dead, I put my gun away, making it up the stairs, placing one mine at the far wall, walking away from hit slowly, and placing a second mine there, moving away from that. And continued searching for the next bomb. It wasn't far off from the last one. I see a flashing red light as before down below, I jump over a ledge, again down to the bottom, another bomb as I work on that, it started to cross my mind Shetland knew I would try to diffuse these bombs, if I didn't, they would kill all of us, including him, and apparently had a lot to say, and among the chaos, I hear the displace men comment on my handiwork.

"Man down!"

"God damm, God damn! You'll pay for this you bastard!"

"Look at _**YOU**_! You've made yourself the **instrument** of a policy you don't _**believe**_ in Sam! Walk away!"

"There he is!"

"You're a **dead** man!"

"Take him down! Anyway you can!"

I put it away, I climb back up, and keep close to the machine on my left, and peak around the corner, past the gap to the floor level where I entered the furnace room, were the two displace grunts, I fire another shotgun round, taking one guy out, the other runs, I try to take a shot but then I don't... as he was running to where I was, right into the mine.

BOOM!

Smoke is seen just rising past what was blocking my view of the walkway thanks to the furnace, but I knew he was dead. And with that in mind, I searched for the last bomb, in clear view near the end of the furnace room, as I go to diffuse that. Shetland could be heard to my far left, probably at the door leading out.

"**Blood** is **thicker** than **water** and you and I have **bleed** a lot together. You're trading your **honor** for their **agenda**, **THEIR** agenda, not ours Sam."

By the time I diffuse it, he just leaves as I jump back to the elevated walkway, and head for the door, I ready the SC20K, my left index finger on the trigger of the shotgun as I force it open, I find a displace grunt ready, he fires a round, I feel it in my gut, the Kevlar in my vest just stopping it from ripping _thru_ the gut, I fire back, he drops dead, I run over his body... and well you already know where that lead too...

We knock each other's primary guns and go for our sidearm, as we were now at a Mexican standoff.

"It doesn't have to **end** like this **Sam**."

"No, but it does have to _end_."

"On that I **agree** ... _**We've**_ been fighting their **dirty little wars** all entire lives and where do we end up?... staring at each other down the **barrels** of our **guns**. **Nothing **has changed fisher... it didn't change with **Jack**, It didn't bend with **Logan**, and the same for **David**...Jesus Sam, he was **Big Boss**' son, you knew they would use him like they did the Boss...like they did Adam...and even the Cobras..."

_"...The Cobras...what is he talking about?"_

"...It won't change fisher... it won't change by degrees, even if others try, _They_ will get in the way... **THEY **ALWAYS DO!...One way or another, its there **fault** Sam...We have to tear it down and start over... ALL of it! It's the **ONLY** way!"

"Your own little '_chaos theory_'? Throw the world into **war** and hope that what comes out the other side is **better**? What makes you any different from **Big Boss**, Doug?"

"...And likewise... are you any different from David? Or the rest of them?...It **will** be better, because this war will **change** things Sam. Every other war has been about keeping things the same, keeping an ongoing cycle of war, peace, and revolution, and endless waltz as an attempt to keep people in check, thru constant hatred and ignorance, but the **status quo** doesn't work anymore. America's _**sick**_ Sam... she's **dying**... the **politicians**, the **bureaucrats**, the whispered back room deals. It's all life-support for a sick old lady who was **dead** a long time ago. Dead as long as _**them**_!"

"The only back room deals I've seen lately were _made __**by **__**you. **_You are **no** different than Jack; you're no different from those you're trying to take out. You're a **murderer**, and a **war criminal.**"

"The very same can be said about you, you're more of a tool than even Logan. But those are the only names the **state** has for the **revolutionaries** Sam. You become a **hero**, after the **war** is over. Washington would've agreed. You know the truth. The _world_ is built from the_ bottom_ up, not the other way **around**. Honor, courage, fidelity, we don't inherit these things from the world Sam; we build the world from them. I know you, you believe in these things more than any **government**. And I know because of it you wouldn't shoot an old friend."

He lowers the gun... as I did my own, putting it away... wondering if there was another option other than to kill him.

I had no time to wonder as the second I holstered my gun, he aimed once more and fired...

To bad he missed... by the time he aimed, by that time, I already was in a crouching position... my right hand was already reaching for the knife...it happened so fast...the response was automatic, like a scene acted out to death.

Even I didn't realize it until I stabbed him in the gut, but it was far too late, I was already committed, no turning back, I shoved him thru back into the bathhouse, he hits a wooden support beam, and fell into the hot-bath below...floating back up, face down...and for certain...dead.

"You're right Doug...I wouldn't _shoot_ an _old friend_."

_"...Because you're no longer my old friend."_... I finished in thought as I turned around and walked off... but his words I could not shake off... for a lot of them rang true..

It wasn't the first time, yet I could see truth for myself in them, at the same time, it was true for himself, as well as the people he used.

But before I could reflect more, the door behind me was forced open, I turn around to find one final displace grunt, but I had no time to prepare, the UMP 45 was already aimed at my head.

"Say Goodbye Bitch!"

But before he could pull the trigger, he suddenly shook violently as I heard a familiar electrical shock as he kept shaking, screaming before he then caught on fire, and finally fell over, the flames going out, as all that was left was a burnt corpse. The one that apparently tazered the man to death steeped over the body and he walked into view, I knew from Lambert who he was, but I was none the less surprised to see him for myself.

"It's been some time Fisher." Gabriel Logan started, as he waked into view.

"Some time indeed."

End of part 2B, part 3 on its way.


	4. Pandora’s delayed opening

Part 3 - Pandora's delayed opening

"What are you doing here in Japan Logan? Especially after what I--"

"It's a long story. I was in the area, and we heard you and Lambert on the radio about Shetland. Where looking for him too, but for different reasons."

"Such as?"

"Biological weapons for starters. Shetland has...**had** contacts with some people we've been trying to find. The Intel we were able to dig up on them and it lead us to Tokyo and Doug. But you got to him first."

We both look at the hole where Shetland was forced back, I sigh.

"... Sorry."

"No... It's okay. Someone had to stop him. I'd be surprised at this turn of events, but I guess I should have seen it coming when he left over that incident in 02 and founded _**Displace**_. Not to mention my mess with the **Agency** in 99. **Big boss'** defection over _Outer Haven_ in 95...Shadow Moses of 2005…the list goes on."

"We all should have."

"Hindsight see's 20-20, but that's the problem. It only see's the most clear from **behind**... _seldom_ what's **ahead**. I'm still in disbelief though, I guess since we all in the same camp. Like the operations in South America in the 80's for starters, and later during the Gulf."

"...Big boss...I wondered."

"About what?"

"There were times when we were on the battlefield...it's as if he knew that... never mind... we can talk about old war stories later, we've still got a crisis."

He sighs, I could tell an extent of frustration in his voice.

"...I knew it wasn't going to just end with Shetland's death."

"How much do you _know_ about the situation?"

"When I got here, I made my way up into a room, where two displace guards were barricaded, I took them down, and was just in time to see things go to hell. **Displace** and **ISDF** are in cohorts with the _Walsh's_ sinking... this complicates things...even on our end."

"Far as I know, only a squad reporting to **Kaneda**, and in turn **Otomo** are involved, but we don't know if the Japanese government themselves are involved or not."

"I hope not for obvious reasons. If the Japanese are involved in trying to push us, the Koreans, as well as the Chinese into _war_...it'll be _chaos_."

"Exactly what Shetland wanted, His own _Chaos theory_."

"**Chaos theory**?"

"Throw the world into war. Make people like us, like David, like the Ghosts, Rainbow…Black Talon… child soldiers like Frank…monsters like us…all the more necessary."

"Big Boss' dream...I'd wonder...but you were right...**you've** got a crisis to Resolve."

"…As in **Me?"**

"Sorry…I've got my **own**, and if either of us fail... if _any_ of us fails…if **he **of all people fails..."

"_David..." _He was doing us _**all**_, even whom I would find out as _**them**_, even they were having favors done by them, much as they wanted him dead as well.

"There will be a war...and the **end** may be for us all."

He stopped, before starting again; it was back to the tasks at hand.

"...It would be appreciated if 3rd Echelon were to give us some data on Shetland's contacts once you get them."

"I'll see what I can do about that but I can't promise anything given the situation surrounding you and your team Logan."

"...Yeah. I know."

Lambert then got on the phone...

"Fisher?"

"Yeah Lambert?"

"Thanks to the access you got on Shetland's computer, we'll be able to get his personal files."

Grim then cut in...

"…And from there, we'll be able to get what we'll need. Including data for your friend Logan."

Logan then cut in..

"How soon can you get it to us?"

"It shouldn't take long. The line I've got on his _shadow net_ is pretty secure. That tech fisher interrogated just outside the bathhouse was right, it's almost impossible to tap, and just outside what even I could pull off even if I had help from _Otacon_."

"Otacon?" Logan asked...

"As in _Hal Emmrich Otacon_?"

"Yeah. We knew each other pretty well before... "

Lambert was back on the line again.

"It's okay Grim. Logan knows about _Shadow Moses_."

"Wait...how... how does _**he**_ know about it?" Grim started, questioning Lambert... and I understood why, because I didn't know until _**now**_ either. It was then another familiar voice cut in, the voice of the _other_ colonel, _**Colonel Roy Campbell**_.

"It's because he was there with Snake."

"What?" I asked...as Lambert continued.

"During Shadow Moses... when **Metal gear rex** was taken care of, but not **FOXDIE**, _Jim Housemen_, then the _sectary of defense_, decided to cover up what really happened with a **nuclear strike**. But neither I nor Campbell would stand idle over it, Roy tried to _delay_ the attack to give Snake time to _escape_, but he was detained, I frankly didn't agree with Jim Houseman's way of thinking. I was one of those in the **NSA** who watched Snake during Shadow Moses, but for me to act alone would have put me in a _suicidal position_. I pushed things getting _Logan_ inside as **insurance** to get the job done, then as if Campbell read my mind, he contacted me in private."

"Private?" I asked...

"I was the one who **suggested** to bring in _Campbell_ in for Shadow Moses 2 hours after the uprising, as well as bringing **Solid Snake** into it, given his experience against **Metal gears**, he was our _best_ and _only_ viable option outside of maybe Logan and Big Boss, of course BB not an opinion for obvious reasons, apart from being **dead. **An hour later, I secretly sent him a special phone. I suggested he only use it, when every other option was not available. That time came when he was detained and he used it to contact me without alerting others, and then I got him a line with the **president**.

Even with that, I was less than two steps from getting detained and being made a scapegoat of the incident myself. Thank God **Aimes** stepped in and decided to detain Houseman. In addition, backups of _everything_ that took place including the conversations between me, Campbell, Aimes, Fisher and Logan have also been recorded by Mei Ling. I have more than one hard copy of this. Any dirt that did hit the fan was all dumped on Houseman, but **that** decision was beyond my **control**."

I had to ask.

"Did Snake have any _idea_ about it?"

"Not really, but I'm sure he knows by _now_."

Grim spoke.

"The official report stated that Lambert never talked with anyone directly involved with the mission, not to mention Solid Snake was on his own."

Lambert continued.

"And that's how it will stay. Along with the fact that **Fisher** himself was the man sent in to get **Otaco**n out."

There was a sudden silence after those words were uttered. It was true... Between the mess with **Georgia** and what would happen later with what we would find out as **Pandora Tomorrow**, I was asked to be stationed some 10 miles southwest of **Shadow Moses Island**, to stand by for anything, but wasn't told much.

Then I was given an order to infiltrate, and locate Hal Emmrich, aka Otacon and bring him to the extraction point, the next generation Special Forces were detained by another unit not long after I got Otacon out.

"Lambert. I..."

"Sorry Fisher. You know how it is."

"...need to know basis?"

I didn't know why now and not then, but I was starting to grow tired of simply following order as Lambert replied. Maybe it was a simple case of things coming to a **head.**

"...Fisher... for now, I'll just say, you're not the **only** one who isn't being told **all** there is needed to be known, only relevant to the situation."

Grim then cut on...

"... Aside from that book 'In the Darkness of Shadow Moses', I didn't know you were there Sam, or Lambert was directly involved. Logan was mentioned...but...why weren't we in the operation if Fisher was?"

Lambert paused... before he started.

"...I had to contact a separate team and work with them, I could not risk having you and anyone else with Fisher in the last few years involved with it. I learned that from what happened with Logan and the Agency from 99 to 01."

"…What about now?" She asked.

"It doesn't matter now. Thanks to **Revolver Ocelot**, data of Metal Gear is available almost anywhere. Not to mention knowledge of the Next Generation Special Forces. To take **any **of you out the picture now would be redundant."

"...So... we aren't expendable?"

"Not yet. Besides...so far every transmission during this operation, has been kept under my supervision. I've only relayed the very relevant data to the _joint chiefs_."

"Why is Campbell here to begin with?" I asked, to which Campbell replied.

"It's because Lambert needed someone to observe another operative on other operations that had some bearing on what is happening here, including Shetland's side deals. Not to mention, he was one of the few on this operation to _trust_ me, and the only one in real power, to have had my back... so to speak."

"Perhaps." Lambert replied. "But I can't help but wonder if Ames could have taken me down for trying to do something about it as well."

"He could do that?" I ask

"More than possible."

I sigh...

"Fisher... what we do isn't the only thing in the world...I can't even begin to count the number of missions that are going on even as we speak. I have _**authority**_, but there are people who can throw even that into the null and void _**easily**_."

"I know...I know… anything else?"

Grim started "I'm going to go over all of what's been found in Shetland's files. It will take a while but I should be able to uncover what's there. But in the meantime, we have one more person to deal with."

We all thought the same person.

"**Otomo**?" I ask anyway...

"Yes." Lambert asked.

"But for now, just head to the extraction point, it's marked on your opsat."

"What about Logan?" I asked.

"I'll find my way back." He answered, he sighed, before grim chimed in.

"Logan, I've noticed you've got a PDA, Fisher, you can use the EEV and open a line, from there, I'll send Shetland's contacts far as biological weapons go... as well as a few other things you could use."

"Thanks." he replied, as Lambert continued...I accessed Logan's PDA as the files transferred over the next few minutes, during that time Lambert broke the awkward silence.

"I should be stepping in your way. But...no. Good luck on your end Logan, you're going to need it."

"Thanks." He replies.

"Fisher, there should be a ladder not far from your position, it'll lead you to the top of the Bathhouse, you'll be extracted from there."

"Alright."

"Logan...it's Grim. The data's been sent. Hope that helps."

"Thanks Grim, I'm certain it will, Logan out."

"You're welcome, and see you later."

"I hope so."

He replied as he made his way back into the house, he looked at me, a little sad, I was sad too.

"See ya around fisher."

I shake my head... "No... We never met here."

He sighs, before looking up into the sky, and then at the door.

"Yeah... I know."

"... ... Any idea where David could be?"

"Rumor is he was in Seoul some 38 hours when war broke out in the Koreas, and before that… at some obscure **Battery** denied by the **NKA** to have been the one where the **missile** came from… but the only way to know… to actually ask Snake about it."

"Alright..."

And to that... he left. A few moments later, a blackhalk showed up as I got on. The doors closed as it took off, I place my multi-goggles to the side after removing them off my head and place, and take a deep breath.

"What a mission." I say to myself.

"So what now?" I ask Lambert on the radio.

"Get some sleep, you'll head back to operations, and then from they're... probably the Kokubo Shouso to deal with Otomo."

"Right... and Lambert... one more thing."

"Yeah?"

I take another breath; I wanted to be sure to say it the way I wanted.

"... We've known each other for a long time... and along this time we've both known a lot of people... and a lot of _**secrets**_."

"... What are you getting at Fisher?"

"For a very long time Lambert, I've been ... an **instrument**... a tool. I did what I did, because I believed it was for the greater good, not just for **America**, but the **world**. But I think it's time... I was told a lot more than what I'm already being given Lambert. I tolerated it because I figured it was for my **benefit**, but with what's been going down... I **can't** be left in the **dark** anymore."

He sighed... "Sooner or later, I _knew_ you would be wanting to ask. ... I'll do it. But I warn you Fisher, you're **not** going to like a **lot** of what you're going to find out."

"... I know. But _ignorance_ is _bliss_...until the **bullet** hits your _**brain**_."

"Agreed. Now get some rest... you've got a lot to do."

"I know... Fisher out."

I already had a clue... but it would be some time before I would know the true meaning... of _an Instrument that thinks. _

And that's it. I'd go an explain, but that's going to be left for a forum, till next time.

"_This may be too much for a blunt instrument to understand" - M, Casino Royale 2006._

Useless trivia: I was about halfway thru SC:3 (about to complete the Penthouse level) before I saw Casino Royale. I'll say no more than that for now.

A/N 2: Incase anyone asks… decided to do a few spelling grammar corrections, and then re-put them up here. That's about it.


End file.
